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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

If you change the boot order after installing GRUB, I think that may cause problems. GRUB gets "hard coded" to point to the dirve where its config files are. the behavior you are seeing is consistent with grub not being able to find its config file.

What's the point of having that 8GB drive in there? ( the size means it is old--and could be prone to failure) I would send it to "Hard-Drive Heaven".

I would reset the bios to boot from "C" (A Windowsism, BTW---we say sda1), and then get GRUB installed on that drive.
Is your install disk a live CD? if not, see if you can get to a Linux terminal by booting from your install disk and typing ctrl-alt-F1. If this doesn't work, then you will need to find a live CD (eg Knoppix) or maybe just re-install.

If you can get to a linux terminal, then we can give you the commands to get GRUB set up.

Hi
wildar , I changed the boot priority because to where GRUB was installed as it only loaded windows otherwise .

You got me thinking Pixellany.......it is stupid keeping an 8GB drive when I have 500GB as well , so , I disconnected it , and tried using a PCLinux livecd , there is a SGR GRUB repair item on the start menu and using it I can boot my Sabayonlinuxos.....so all i need now is instructions howto repair or install GRUB..
Thanks

Assume that Windows is on drive 1, partition 1--aka /dev/sda1
Linux on /dev/sdbX X=the partition where /boot is (if you only have one Linux partition, then that's it)

From a linux terminal, running as root:

Code:

grub starts the grub shell
root (hd1,Y) This points grub to the location of /boot because GRUB counts from zero, take X above and subtract 1
setup (hd0) puts grub on the mbr of drive 1

Now you have to edit /boot/grub/menu.lst to show the correct info. It will wind up looking something like this:

Code:

title linuxroot (hd1,Y) again, points to the partition where /boot is
kernel /boot/vmlinuz...... root=/dev/sdaX
initrd /boot/initrd......
<<replace the " ....." with the actual filenames as they appear in /boot
OR
make softlinks in /boot, so that you can just use "vmlinuz" and "initrd"
X and Y are as previously defined>>
title windows
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

Well, you are not following my instructions....so I'm not quite sure where we are headed.EDIT--it looks like maybe the Windows drive is not set to be #1
To edit menu.lst (or any file), you would type the name of the editor followed by the file name. Editors that may or may not be one your system include kedit, gedit, kate, nano.
Example:
in a terminal, as root:nano /boot/grub/menu.lst

I did follow your instructions initially but it came back (i think) "partition not found" so I tried all combinations of the HDD's until (hd0,1) responded and seemed to do something...I think your right about windows not set on #1

Have the results I showed seem to have done the right thing so far ?
Does the rest of the procedure still apply with my setup /

If I boot now it says something like "installing GRUB starting stage1.5 "repeatedly down the screen.

I open a terminal
click on "session" then "new root shell"
the window shows "password : " and a black square but I cannot enter anything

(Please bear with me ? I must be really stupid)

No, you are not stupid.....
Often, when entering passwords, there will be no feedback on the screen--just type in the (root) password and hit return. (You can also become root by just typing "su" after opeing the terminal.)

The steps I gave you assumed that the Windows drive would be set to #1--this would make the Linux partition be on drive 2---eg (hd1,2) for sda2, partition 3.

First, see if you can set the boot order in the BIOS to make the Windows drive be #1, then install GRUB per my original instructions.